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Sheep at a farm belonging to Benalla farmers, Stuart and Julie Green in the midst of a drought in May 2025.

When desperate farmers prayed for rain in the midst of a hidden drought

The Green family survived a major drought on their sheep farm. I got a front-row seat to the challenges they overcame.

  • Benjamin Preiss

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A koala photographed last month on French Island, in an almost-denuded tree.

How do you save a starving koala?

The difficulty of moving koalas is again in focus following soaring numbers on French Island in Victoria, and deaths of translocated animals in NSW.

  • Bianca Hall
A koala photographed last month on French Island, in an almost-denuded tree.

‘Horrific’ mass koala starvation hits Victorian island

Distressed locals have told of desperate koalas falling from trees and trying to eat vegetation such as pine needles.

  • Bianca Hall
Fitzroy Residents Association chair Michael Spencer wants to see urgent investment in flood management.

Flood threat hangs over 60,000 homes in Melbourne’s northern suburbs

Vast areas of Darebin and Yarra council areas have been declared flood-prone as a new statewide risk rating system ascribes a threat level to every home.

  • Sophie Aubrey
Opal Australian Paper’s Maryvale paper mill in the Latrobe Valley.

Australia’s last white paper mill sues Victoria for $402 million after lost jobs, closure

The Latrobe Valley operation says it was forced to shut its white paper production and cut 400 jobs when the government reneged on a deal to provide it with native timber.

  • Kieran Rooney
Blue skies and heavy cloud on the last day of winter in Melbourne.

Melbourne to bask in warmer-than-average spring days and nights

A leading climate scientist said people complaining about the cold weather this year have forgotten what a normal winter feels like.

  • Bianca Hall and Caitlin Fitzsimmons
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The larger of the two trees is estimated to be almost 30 metres tall.

They bought a knockdown-rebuild and got a fight over Thornbury’s tallest trees

The larger of two eucalypts locals are fighting to save is estimated to be more than 25 metres tall and believed to be one of the tallest trees in Thornbury.

  • Tom Cowie
Ski patroller Tess Hoinville was all smiles for the first day of the 2025 winter ski season on Mount Buller.

The snow gods, with a little help from their human friends, have ski industry rejoicing

Victoria’s snow season kicked off with a large dump of snow, but the alpine industry now relies on human intervention to ensure slopes are skiable for longer.

  • Benjamin Preiss
Wombat joey Hope survived more than three weeks without her mother, who was killed by unknown offenders.

Miracle survival: How wildlife rescuers found Hope after the cruelest act

Locals went to extraordinary lengths to save a wombat joey.

  • Bianca Hall
Developer Paul Hameister, a self-described “tree hugger”, wants the industry to go green.

Want to live in a truly green home? This ‘tree hugger’ has a plan

In Australia, it’s possible to live in a five-green-star-rated building that’s entirely made of concrete and glass.

  • Bianca Hall